EvCC’s College in the High School Program Earns National Accreditation

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Press Release

Contact: Karen Landry, EvCC Director of College in the High School and Continuing Education Operations, 425-267-0153; klandry@everttcc.edu

EvCC’s College in the High School Program Earns National Accreditation

EVERETT, Wash. – Everett Community College’s College in the High School program, which allows high school students to earn college credit at their schools, has earned accreditation from the National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships.

NACEP accreditation validates the quality of college courses offered in high schools and ensures that the course content and expectations for student work match the standards of the sponsoring post-secondary institution.

EvCC’s College in the High school program was offered at 30 high schools in Snohomish County this year, with 2,431 students earning college credit to date.

“When I graduated (from high school), I had 60 college credits and was accepted to Pacific Lutheran University, where I was able to transfer in as a sophomore and am now double majoring and still able to graduate in four years. The College in the High School classes were rigorous but so worth it,” said Darcie Booth, who graduated from Cascade High School in 2013.

EvCC’s College in the High School program gives students the opportunity to earn college credit while simultaneously earning high school credit for approved advanced high school courses. The courses are taught by qualifying high school teachers, who work closely with EvCC faculty mentors to ensure that the work the students perform in the high school course is equivalent to a similar course taught at EvCC.

“Students stay on their high school campus and get the full high school experience but they also get a chance to experience college-level work in a familiar environment. The courses included in the program are those most often required in the freshman coursework of Washington’s community colleges and universities, thus shortening the time it takes to earn a degree, and it’s a significant savings to the student,” said Karen Landry, EvCC Director of College in the High School and Continuing Education Operations.

In a recent survey, 100 percent of respondents said that they would recommend EvCC’s College in the High School Program to current high school students, Landry said.

EvCC was one of 11 colleges and universities nationwide that earned accreditation or reaccreditation from NACEP. The other college from Washington state was the University of Washington, which earned re-accreditation.

“We are very excited to award this prestigious recognition to these eleven programs. By undergoing NACEP’s rigorous accreditation peer-review process, these schools have demonstrated that their concurrent enrollment programs are of the highest standard,” said NACEP Accreditation Commission Chair Jaclyn Dumond, Manager of School Partnerships at the University of Southern Indiana. “The high school students enrolled in their programs are, without a doubt, receiving the same quality education as they would receive on the college campus. We are very proud to recognize these institutions for their commitment to concurrent enrollment program excellence.”

To earn accreditation from NACEP, concurrent enrollment programs conduct a self-study, document how their programs adhere to NACEP’s seventeen standards, and are evaluated by peer reviewers from NACEP-accredited programs. NACEP’s standards were developed and refined over many years, serve as a model for quality standards in sixteen states, and are implemented by a wide range of higher education institutions.

About the National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships: NACEP works to ensure that college courses offered in high schools are as rigorous as courses offered on the sponsoring college campus. As the sole accrediting body for concurrent enrollment partnerships, NACEP helps these programs adhere to the highest standards so students experience a seamless transition to college and teachers benefit from meaningful, ongoing professional development. To advance the field and support our national network of 275 colleges and universities, 35 high schools and school districts, and 15 state agency and system office partners, we actively share the latest knowledge about best practices, research, and advocacy.